The present invention comprises a new and distinct cultivar of apple tree botanically classified as Malus domestica (Borkh.) and known by the varietal name ‘MOONLIGHT’. The new variety is the result of a cross between ‘Goldstar’ (female parent, unpatented) and ‘Telamon’ (aka, Waltz) (male parent, U.S. Plant Pat. No. PP6,224). The cross resulting in ‘MOONLIGHT’ occurred in the Spring of 1996 at 310 meters above sea level with a mean annual temperature of 7.7° C. and a mean annual precipitation of 680 mm. The purpose of the breeding program was to develop late, dessert, disease resistant varieties with a columnar tree type. The new variety was discovered in the Fall of 2002 with the first fruiting of the original seedling in The Czech Republic. Subsequently, the new variety was asexually reproduced at the Institute of Experimental Botany AS CR, v.v.i., Station Strizovice, 45 Pencin u Liberce in The Czech Republic by budding/grafting on apple rootstocks in the Spring of 2003.
The new variety is similar to ‘Goldstar’ in yellow-green to yellow fruit color and in that it exhibits the presence of Vf-resistance against scab. However, ‘MOONLIGHT’ differs from its female parent, as ‘Goldstar’ is a ramified tree type and the present variety is a columnar tree type. Further, the new variety has a globose-conical to conical fruit shape, while ‘Goldstar’ has an obloid fruit shape. The new variety is similar to ‘Telamon’ in tree type and its compact, dense growth habit with short internodes. However, the new variety is different from ‘Telamon’ as its fruit overcolor is absent or has a slight red to orange blush, while ‘Telamon’ has fruit with 50% red to purple solid flush. Further, the new variety has a longer fruit stem (30 mm vs. 16 mm) and deeper stalk cavity (14 mm vs. 9 mm) than ‘Telamon’. Additionally, the new variety is similar to apple tree variety ‘Golden Delicious’ (unpatented) in fruit shape, fruit stem length, and yellow-green to yellow ground color of fruits. However, the new variety differs from ‘Golden Delicious’ in tree type as ‘Golden Delicious’ has a ramified tree type. Further, the internode length of ‘MOONLIGHT’ is shorter than that of ‘Golden Delicious’. Finally, the presence of Vf-resistance against scab also distinguishes the new variety from ‘Golden Delicious’. The following characteristics also distinguish the new variety from other varieties known to the breeders:                Late, dessert-type, diploid variety;        Columnar tree type;        Trees exhibit weak vigor;        The growth habit is compact and dense with very short internodes;        Medium-sized fruits;        Globose-conical to conical fruit shape;        The fruit ground color is yellow-green to yellow;        Slight red to orange blush of overcolor with some fruits;        The fruit flesh is yellow, firm, crisp, and juicy with a well-balanced sugar to acid ratio; and        Vf-resistance against scab.        
The new variety has been trial and field tested and has been found to retain its distinctive characteristics and remain true to type through successive asexual propagations.